


Goodbye

by Fallenangel_Winchester



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Character Death, Crying, Gen, Goodbyes, I'm Sorry, Not A Fix-It, Sad Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-17
Updated: 2019-08-17
Packaged: 2020-09-06 08:22:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20288392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fallenangel_Winchester/pseuds/Fallenangel_Winchester
Summary: The avengers say goodbye to Tony





	Goodbye

**Author's Note:**

> It took me a while but I had to write something about Endgame.  
My heart is broken, but I'm not going to complain, my boy died a hero, he died for his family and the world and despite how sad it is and I'm satisfied with his ending and quite proud of him. 
> 
> Also the characters might be a little bit out of character because I haven't actually written them before, so apologies for that.  
Sorry for making you sad as well. 
> 
> Comments are always appreciated.  
Thanks for reading.

The ceremony was over, it was more private and smaller than expected for someone as popular as him. It was a lovely day, sunny and bright, the peace after the storm, as if nothing had changed, as if one of the world's brightest stars hadn't gone out. 

They were all dressed in black, a sign of mourning, various expressions on their faces, each one of them paying their respect in different ways, the only thing that was the same was the grief and sadness that shimmered in their eyes. Slowly they scattered around like leaves on the wind as restlessness took over them. 

  
  


The tie hung heavy on his neck as he nodded at his wife in an attempt to tell her without using words that he wanted to stay behind for a bit, as always she understood him and quietly pulled the kids along but not before he pressed kisses on their foreheads. 

He was barely holding back his tears, both for Nat and for Stark…for Tony. One glance at his family and he was reminded that there were two people who he would forever owe and that hurt like hell. In a few steps Clint was standing in front of Tony's grave, not knowing what he was doing, but feeling like he had to do something. There was a weight on his shoulders, words that threatened to choke him and a hole where his heart was. 

Someone would think that living without his family for so long, having lost so many people along the way would have made him stronger, more resilient… it didn't. 

It must have been the fact that he was alone that pushed him to go down on his knees and after taking a ragged breath to let the words flow out of him, 

“I hated you… god…I really did. Blamed you for things that had nothing to do with you. You were an ass, but so was I. I probably should have stayed behind, shouldn't have taken sides.” he clenched his hands into fists as he remembered. 

“Sometimes…sometimes I regret it, you weren't that bad though, could throw a great party and made the best equipment..you tried so much sometimes..still I hated you…” he felt tears running down his cheeks, didn't even try to wipe them. 

“Now, I owe you, my life and my family's and that's a debt I'd never be able to pay you.” the words burned on his tongue, but it felt right to let them out.

His fingers brushed the cold marble headstone as he lowered his head in both respect and sadness, he could imagine how broken Tony’s family will be, having experienced that kind of pain and the only thought running through his head was, 

_ It's not fair, but life is never fair _

“You died a hero, and we'll never forget you.” slowly he got up and just before he started walking away, he said through his tears, 

“If you see Nat there, look after her, not that she can't do it herself…” his voice broke and he had to take a deep breath to finish his sentence, 

“and tell her…that I'll miss her and I hope that she's in a better place now.” and with that he quickly walked away. 

From the corner of her eye, Wanda saw Clint rushing towards his family and hugging them, his eyes glistening when their gazes met and she knew where he had been. The Starks were still inside the house, so no one could see or try to stop her while she was walking towards the place Clint had left a few moments ago. 

She didn't know what she was doing, knew that she wasn't exactly welcomed, yet the mutual loss somehow brought them closer like nothing before. Five years gone in a flash, at least for all of the people who were snapped out of existence, yet if she closed her eyes and let her powers run through her veins, she could feel the weight of those years on her soul. 

It was so peaceful, the place Stark had chosen for retirement, she could imagine herself and Vision living in a similar place, but the pain was too much, too fresh, too big that that image faded away as fast as it came. 

Pretty soon, she was standing on the same spot Clint did, wondering what she could say to the man she hated for so long, the same one who died to save the world she once was so eager to destroy. 

“I didn't think you had it in you Stark. Sacrifice, you did sacrifice yourself for the world. We never saw eye to eye, I thought that you were an arrogant and selfish man, who could never redeem himself, but you changed, or I changed.” at that moment she felt so tired she was afraid that if she closed her eyes, she might fade away. 

“Vision…he was so good and I couldn't understand how someone like you could create someone like him, he said that there was a part of you in him…I couldn't see it, but now I do.” a few tears fell from her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away, there was a time and place for mourning, now it wasn't. 

“Wherever you are…I hope you can forgive me…the way…I have forgiven you.” she nodded and walked away. 

  
  


“Steve?” the voice broke through the haze his mind was trapped in, the loss still not fully settled on his mind, or in his heart and he knew it will take a while. 

“I just, I need a few moments to say goodbye. I owe him that much.” he met Bucky's eyes and saw nothing but understanding in them. 

“You sure you don't want me to come with you?” he could hear the guilt in his friend's voice even though he hid it well. 

“Yes, I need to do this alone.” 

Unknowingly, but when Steve went to Tony's grave he mirrored Clint’s position, he was on his knees not caring about anything except to say the things he didn't have time to. 

“I was wrong about you. And I've never been happier and sadder to be proven wrong. I wasn't there when you needed me…despite everything you came to help, to save them all, that made you the better man.” surprisingly, his eyes were dry, he must have run out of tears and he couldn't remember the last time he cried so much. 

“You never told me why you didn't like me at first but it didn't matter because we became friends and I respected and cared for you…I…we, both of us were too hard-headed to actually sit down and talk about the problems we had, yet we made a good team.” 

His fingers brushed over his friend's name on the gravestone, wishing that it didn't have to end like the way it did, but knowing that Tony did what he had to. 

“You laid on the wire, twice. Sometimes I think that from the both of us you're the only one who grew up, I think I stayed the same scrawny kid who couldn't move on from the world he grew up in, like I couldn't understand the world back then, let alone this one.” a humorless chuckle escaped from his lips and he said 

“How much you loved to annoy me, I couldn't even imagine that you were Howard’s kid, you were so different in some ways…at the time I thought it was bad, but now…I truly believe that you were a better man than your father could ever have been.” 

“It should have been me…you had a kid and wife, so much to live for, the world needed, needs you…” his hand shook when he was tracing the word father.

“I'm so sorry Tony. I wish…it doesn't matter anymore doesn't, but I wish I trusted you more and that you trusted me as well. The world lost a great man, we won't forget you, the world won't forget you…” his heart was about to burst with all of the emotions that were running through him, but he steeled himself once more. 

“Got one more thing to do, one last thing. Tony…I'll miss you buddy.” he patted the stone, stood up and after a minute of silence he saluted before he went to prepare for his final mission. 

  
  


His mind went to drinking, his latest habit and way of dealing or not dealing with his problems, but for the first time since he started drinking he couldn't get himself to do it, not even to honor his fallen friend. The avengers, Earth's mightiest heroes and all the other names they were called, a group of incredible individuals with various skill sets, lost a comrade, one whose mind shone as bright as a star. If he was from Asgard he would have been praised and honored like the mighty warrior he was, and granted the entrance to Valhalla, but he was just a human and Thor once again came to the realization that humans had a very short life. They were extraordinary for beings that weren't particularly strong and whose world was relatively young, yet they were ready to sacrifice themselves to protect their own, capable of both good and evil… his brother was fascinated by them even though he barely showed that. 

Thor wanted to say that the man of iron is somewhere where he can rest, somewhere good, but he didn't have the heart to do that, his death hit him hard despite him not being around in a while. 

If his mother was alive, he would have asked her what exactly to do, how to honor his friend's death in a way that he deserved it, but he was alone. 

“Banner?” he still couldn't get used to this Hulk and Banner combination but it wasn't important at the moment. 

“Yes, Thor?”

“How do you…show respect for a fallen hero, other than what we did moments ago? We kinda didn't do a lot, just standing there.”

“That's how it is here Thor, we mourn in silence until we gather enough strength to continue going on.” as always with many midgardian’s traditions this made no sense to him, but he didn't see any other way, so he thanked Banner and stumbled his way towards Stark’s final resting place. 

“You mortals never stopped surprising me, first the captain with his worthiness, then you… man of iron indeed. I've traveled far to places you mortals can't even imagine, yet I didn't find as noble and courageous warriors as the avengers.” he chuckled when a memory of them flew through his mind, one of their great battles which ended with a huge meal and a lot of fun. Just like that, the warmth his memory brought disappeared only to be replaced by the coldness that wormed its way into his bones, since his brother died. 

“I might have been away from Midgard and you probably thought that I as a prince of Asgard held no respect for you. That's not true. You, all of you were my shield brothers, warriors that I was proud to fight side by side… ready to die with you.” 

He could feel the wind picking up speed, clouds started gathering as a result of his stormy mood and he knew if he let it the sky would weep for their friend, the way their hearts did, but he couldn't let it happen. 

Stark was bright and energetic, he burned like a small sun, a beam of hope during desperate times, he deserved more. Thor unclenched his fists and let out a deep sigh as his powers settled, leaving behind just a pleasant breeze. Then he stood up tall and proud and spoke, his voice heavy with grief yet surprisingly warm and steady, 

“I will never forget you my shield brother, nor I'll stop telling stories of the great battles we fought together, may you find peace wherever you are, both you and lady Natasha. It was a great honor to fight alongside with you.” 

  
  


It was his turn to say goodbye, no one needed to tell him anything, he knew what the other guys were doing, they needed closure as much as they could get and if he was being honest, he wasn't ready to say goodbye, yet it was as good a time as any.

“Hey…” 

_ Great start Banner _

“Nothing I'll say will lessen the pain, or comfort anyone, yet how can I say goodbye to someone, to you…after everything.” he was mindful of the way he put the flower on the gravestone, not sure why but the Hulk made him do that, who knew the big guy could be that sensitive. “You called him big guy, remember? I was terrified that I…that we could accidentally hurt someone, yet you treated us like a friend, like we weren't a ticking bomb, careless, gosh you were so careless sometimes, for someone so smart.” he caught himself wiping tears and rambling as if he would be heard. 

“I'm sorry…sometimes I doubted you too much, other times I ran away instead of standing my ground and trying to help. God, Tony… it's not fair…it's…I wish I could have done more, yet we wouldn't have stood a chance without you…your brilliant mind.” he could feel Hulk’s anger at the loss of their friend but for the first time it was overshadowed by sorrow, both of them had no strength to rage against the injustice and unfairness, not anymore, not when they lost both Natasha and Tony. 

“You had to sacrifice yourself didn't you? I know…you were a better man that everyone gave you credit for, hiding behind a mask of arrogance…if I could…but no, you wouldn't have stayed away not when we needed you.” overcome by guilt and pain, he hid his face in his hands and let the weight of those emotions drag him under as he wept. 

He wasn't aware of how long he cried, when Hulk’s presence shook him out of his breakdown and he was so startled by the sudden gentleness coming from the big guy that he stopped. 

“You're right, this is not a way to say goodbye to a good friend. You heard this Tony? The big guy reprimanded me…it's pointless to say that the world won't forget you, you never cared about what the world had to say for you at least you tried not to. We won't forget you, your family won't forget you, the world is safe because of you and in the end that's what you were trying to do. So rest in peace my friend, don't worry about us, we're going to be fine, we'll miss you but we'll be fine…I can't promise you a lot, but I promise to watch over your family as much as I can.” then he quickly walked away, for once longing for the peaceful oblivion of his transformations if only for a few moments, at least until he could breathe without feeling like he would drown. 

  
  


_ Son of a… _

the moment the message ended he got up and without a word he walked out of the house. 

Rhodey considered himself a mentally stable person as much as possible in his line of work, yet he could feel his heartbeat in his ears, loud and fast as he struggled to get his breathing under control, 

_ Breathe in, breathe out, in, out _

Played in his mind on repeat, but this time it was for him, not for Tony and that thought almost brought him on his knees. The walls were closing in on him even though he was outside, blinded by tears he somehow managed to stumble his way to his friend's grave and to flop on the ground next to it. 

He couldn't stay strong, he couldn't yet he had to, for Tony, but he could give himself this moment. Carefully he leaned on the gravestone, his shoulder pressed on the cold stone and for a second he imagined his best friend keeping him company before the new wave of tears crashed over him. 

“When I told you that you'll kill yourself by being reckless I was joking you know…you weren't supposed to go before me, remember? Best friends forever…now what am I supposed to do without you…who is going to annoy me with stupid ideas?” he couldn't stop there, there was so much he should say. 

“Dammit! I would order you to come back if I didn't see you die. You couldn't stay away… I know, I couldn't either, it wasn't your fault Tones…. You just had the crappiest luck in the world.” he could feel himself shaking, yet he stubbornly continued torturing himself.

“I knew you didn't have the best opinion on yourself and you always took the words to your heart…you shouldn't have carried the weight of the world on your shoulders, but you did, it wasn't everything on you, I told you so.” his fist hit the ground and he whispered, 

“You never listen, never. Head first into a fight, you crazy man, almost gave me a heart attack a couple of times, heck I swore my hair will prematurely go grey if you pulled another one of your near death stunts.” he wiped his eyes again, 

_ Crying over old me, honeybear, you have gone soft,  _ just like that, he chuckled not out of happiness but because he remembered that he would never hear his friend's voice again. 

“I hate it and there's nothing I can do, but I'll honor and respect your sacrifice, no matter what. Gosh, you saved the world Tones…Thank you. It hurts and it will hurt forever having to live in a world without you, but we're going to be alright…for you. I'll look after your family, so you can rest.” he planned to stay for a bit longer, at least until his tears ran dry. 

“One more thing, wherever you are, stay out of trouble… at least until I join you.” with that he finished talking and turned his gaze towards the lake, mind already lost in old memories. 

The avengers didn't say goodbye, they said everything that weighed heavy on the minds, a little bit of closure to give them peace, perfectly aware that you can't say goodbye to someone who will never leave your heart and memories , the one who changed your life forever and the one who sacrificed himself for the world. 

_ Part of the journey is the end.  _


End file.
